NASSCO Delivers USNS Amelia Earhart

Monday, November 03, 2008

NASSCO Delivers USNS Amelia Earhart

General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), delivered USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE 6) to the U.S. Navy on October 30. The ship is named in honor of the record-setting aviator.

“We have reduced the man-hours to build this sixth ship of the T-AKE class by nearly 50 percent when compared to the production time of the lead ship,” said Frederick J. Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO.

Construction of the USNS Amelia Earhart began in December 2006. NASSCO has incorporated international marine technologies and commercial ship-design features into T-AKE class ships, including an integrated electric-drive propulsion system, to minimize operating costs during their projected 40-year service life. With a cargo capacity of more than 10,000 tons, the primary mission of T-AKE ships is to deliver food, ammunition, fuel and other provisions from shore stations to combat ships at sea.

NASSCO has delivered the first five ships of the T-AKE class and has construction contracts for five additional ships, including the Amelia Earhart. The Navy has options to build four additional T-AKE ships for a total of 14 vessels. The seventh through tenth ships of the T-AKE class are currently under construction at NASSCO and are scheduled for deliveries through the third quarter of 2010.

General Dynamics NASSCO employs more than 4,800 people and is the only major ship construction yard on the West Coast of the United States. The San Diego shipyard is also building the first three of nine product carriers for U.S. Shipping Partners L.P.